Blog Your Heart Out - Part 3

Perhaps the silliest blog question I've been asked in recent days is, "Nelly, can you please help me pimp my blog?" And so, this post might also be delicately named, "Three Easy Ways to Pimp your Blog."

1. Use one or two widgets. They're free and make your blog more interactive. Stick them permanently in your sidebar panel, or in the occasional post. I use Beautiful Beta's widget for showing recent comments. I also sometimes use stuff from the vast assortment of widget-junk at Widgetbox. I also use Shelfari's book-displaying widget, and Majicwidget for the ever-wonderful blog poll.

Blogger has many pre-built widgets for you to arrange and use. Blogger users, just log in and click on the "Template" tab.

2. Use hyperlinks creatively in your posts. Make it easy for your readers to click around. Link to relevant things: your friends' excellent writing, other sassy blogs and news articles, your older posts that you'd wish people would uncover, etc.

(But try not to overuse the links like I just did in this hyper-linked post.)

3. Mix it up by using multi-media. Post a a homemade video or two, or post a short flick from YouTube. Posting from YouTube is very easy. Just find the white box that reads "embed" (likely to the right of your favorite video) and copy and paste that html into your post. Look, I'll do it for you here in 5 seconds. Trevor Borden's one minute hair-cut video is great:



Posting your own video on Blogger is even easier! When creating a new post, click on that little film icon on the far right of your editing bar, the one after the insert-image icon. Upload your flick. And there you go!

Who watches TV anymore, anyway?

(Pimp My Ride photo by Botogol)

Blog Your Heart Out - Part 2

A few Nelly-thoughts on blog commenting:

1. When appropriate, answer your comments within your own posts. It's fine to answer a comment on the commentor's blog (if they have one), or privately by email, but, that sort of takes away the fun of allowing everyone else in on the conversation. And it confuses the hades out of those who read comments as part of the postal reaction.

2. Read other blogs, and leave comments! You'll find yourself deep in a web of thinkers (or jokers, for that matter), and you'll likely gain some new readers, too.

3. Delete spam comments as soon as possible. I get one every once in a while. Other folks have written up whole posts about the spam they've received. Spam comes in multiple forms. Andrew Jones' anti-spam stuff is a riot.

A friendly note to Lurkers (AKA. you beautiful non-commenting folks):
I like you. Read on. You don't need to say a thing. But if you get the urge, I'm brushing up the welcome mat for you.

(Graffiti photo by Duncan)

Blog Your Heart Out - Part 1

I think far more people should become bloggers. It's very easy, it's a creative outlet, and it's easier than writing long, boring, mass-emails. I'm starting a short series on some things I've learned over the last year or so about blogging. Go blog your heart out, kid.

1. Be patient with yourself as you develop your writing voice. Just try to post as often as you can, and don't quit. I started out blogging once or twice a week. After blogging for 14 months, now I'm trying to post every day.

2. Keep your posts short. Consolodating words is not only an excellent writing exercise, but you'll likely post more often when you put less wordy-pressure on yourself.

3. Don't write things you wouldn't want your Mama/Roommate/Professor to read. Just be wise. Vent on paper that doesn't travel to the blogosphere.

4. Use good images. The power of image plus word is underestimated. If you're not using your own, use creative commons licensed photos, and give them kind credit with hyperlinks. I take an extra minute or so to use the advanced search function on Flickr, and search only the "Creative Commons Licensed" stuff.

5. Don't despair. In your first 6-12 months of active blogging, be encouraged that there are likely people reading who are not commenting. (We affectionately term them, "Lurkers.") As you regularly write, it's likely that more will continue to read. Get a hit counter to show you just how many people are reading (or at least, landing), and to see how long they stick around to read. It's motivating. I use Statcounter. It's free.

(T-shirt photo by Nicki-G.)

Mommy Blogger Crosses Atlantic!

I've just nominated the legendary Lisa Borden in the Blogger's Choice Awards.

Category: Hottest Mommy Blogger.

Perfect? Perfect! Hurry up and go vote for her. Especially because, as of today, all of Lisa's posts will be from Tanzania! Where else can you get a look at the inside of a wild household migrating from Europe to Africa (via Pasadena)...one that is so wild for Jesus, and wild with Hope?

Vote for Lisa's blog here: "Let's Put the Kettle On" is Hot, Man!

Lisa's blog: Let's Put the Kettle On
And the blog of Wild Hope:
Telling African Stories As They Live Them

I also voted for:
Andrew Jones, the Tall Skinny Kiwi (Best Blog of All Time) and John Smulo, in Smulospace (Best Religious Blog)

Synchronize Your Consciousness

Wednesday, the Synchro-blogger team will be writing on the (mysterious) topic of "Alternate Forms of Consciousness as it Relates to Christianity." As I am knee deep in writing for my last week of the winter quarter, I can't participate this month. Had I the time, I probably would write about my supernatural experiences of the Holy Spirit during worship and prayer, and how those experiences altered my consciousness towards God's power.

Check out the Synchro-bloggers' work. It's sure to rock your consciousness in some way.

Shamanic Vision and Apocalyptic Scripture at Phil Wyman's Square No More
Can prayer be an example of Alternate Conciousness? at Eternal Echoes
Better Than I Was [at times], Not Better Than You Are by Mike of Earthsea
emotionalism vs rationalism at Adam Gonnerman's Igneous Quill
Consciousness of the absurd and the absurdity of consciousness at Steve's Notes from the Underground
The Unconscious Christian by Matt Stone
Hypnochristians at Jamie's More Than Stone
The extreme consciousness of the Spirit by Les Chatwin
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me at Mike's Musings
What is reality? by David Fisher at Be the Revolution

Oh Snap, Son

In truth, I have massive blog envy over Andrew Jones' infamous Tall Skinny Kiwi Blog. He was blogging about important and quirky things in the Kingdom long before blogging became a verb. And he makes me laugh aloud with his occasional photoshopping antics. As a rogue wanderer on his site, I found this cool app called, "Snap." I had to have it.

So now I do. Hello Sez Nelly gets a new (ahem, snappy) dress. Let your mouse do the walking and now be thrilled by getting visual previews for most all of my linkages!

My Visual DNA

Here's an interesting 21st century personality test. It's all done according to the images that appeal to you. The written analysis was quite on target with me, in a bizarre sort of way. I'm still not sure how I feel about being called an "Escape Artist" (to supplement being a "Rogue Wanderer," I might add...). Thanks to curious Brian in Ibiza for the cool idea.

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

Makin' a List, Checkin' it Twice

I get in these funny moods when I'm sure that if I don't list out the little details of my life at the moment, then I will most assuredly turn into a crazy lady. The brilliant irony of it all is that I don't necessarily have to cross-out or even do things on the list. It's just the making of the list that makes me feel sane.

And here we have another...

Things I'd Like to Blog About Soon
1. How Dollar Rent-a-Car scammed me today, and the letter I'm writing them.
2. My falling off the decaf-only coffee wagon.
3. The book Transforming Power (Robert Linthicum) and how its boring cover never hinted that its contents would move me so much about justice.
4. The Militancy of Worship - part 2
5. What being an INFP means for me (aka. Myers Briggs Mumbo-Jumbo).
6. My 24-7 Prayer Room Reflections (from rooms in Santa Barbara, small town MD, Portugal, Italy)
7. What I've learned from Oliver, my new German church-planter friend.
8. How Jesus calmed me through The Shins new record this week.
9. Valentines Day is a sham, and I'll prove it.
10. What happens when you're starved for solitude.
11. Dreaming of living in an intentional, messy community.
12. When you're lost, but not so far away.

Apocalyptic Stress Bag

I have been such a stress-bag the past week. Granted, an all-night lock-in with high schoolers meant that I worked more than double the amount of hours than usual, but still. I think it's my inner-self that's been stressed, not so much because of over-work, but because I've been talking about Jesus more than I've been talking to him. I make things more complicated than they really are. And thus, I haven't been able to blog because I've been a big bag of stress.

So I took this quick personality test and it called me a rogue apolcalyptic wanderer. Go team.

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

If you take the test, tell me what movie you are.

Lurking Remixed

I know I am greatly digressing from more Militant subjects, but I'd like to turn the record around on the subject of lurking. My last post caused a scuffle of a few emails my way, with a few folk saying, "Hello! I'm not a lurker, but..." as if lurking is a bad-word. And then sweet Lisa reminded me that to lurk does not make one a jerk! And then my dear Mama said, "You have lurkers?!! Oh, Jenelle, that doesn't sound very good. Can they find out where you live??"

I want to scratch the record and mix it up a little, dj-style. I think we've accidentally equated this new techno-word, "lurker" with the old school idea of a "peeping tom." Oh! But it isn't so, ladies and gents! And if you're a lurker, I still like you! Lurk away! I'd say that most of the time:

A lurker is good natured!
A lurker is well-read!
A lurker keeps their comments
Safe snug in their head.
Or else they comment
To their dear sweet Mom,
Who might say a lurker
Is a net Peeping Tom.

(Peeper image from the movie Peeping Tom)

Lurkers of the World, Unite!

Word on the street (thanks, John!) is that this is "National De-Lurking Week." Wikipedia calls a "lurker" one in internet culture who visits interactive systems, but rarely joins in. Is that you? Well, welcome! I'm sure you have a nice reason for not saying "hello" back. If you've been stopping by my blog, but rarely add your two cents, here's your chance to introduce yourself.

As a side-note, one of my 2007 resolutes is to leave my posts more open for discussion. And not so, "thus saith Jenelle." I'm a work in progress.

If you have the time, tell me your name. And if you're really feeling buff, let me know for how long you've been reading, and what you're interested in reading more about. Grazie. Obrigada. Thanks.

Synchronize the Blog-Swatches

Tomorrow I'll be participating in Pastor Phil's 2nd wild "Synchro Blog." (Definition: A group of folks who blog on one topic on the same day.) Tomorrow, a little over a dozen of us will be writing on some aspect of "Spiritual Warfare." You'll be able to read my thoughts, as well as the links to all the other mondo-bloggers participating. I think I'm one of the youngest chaps throwing in her two (euro) cents, so I'm very honored to be a part of the fun.

(Sweet Swatch image from Shiny Shiny's Blog: A Girl's Guide to Gadgets)

Higher Grounds

I'm back in Smalltown, MD after my trip to Onething, and I'm taking fizzy Airborne tablets to fight the oncoming symptoms of flu-gunk. (The teacher-invented fizz of Echinacea and C tastes surprisingly nice.) And then I get this friendly email from Amazon telling me how I should get Len Sweet's new book, The Gospel According to Starbucks, and I wonder if Big Brother is watching me. I was planning on blogging on coffee and God today, after all.

Sound the alarms. The Nelly is going Decaf in 2007. She has become hopelessly addicted to high-test coffee, and it's gone on for far too long. What was it that God said to Cain in early Genesis? "Caffeine is creeping at your door, it desires to have you...But you must master it!"

In other news, I've learned from more grandfatherly, hipster, and experienced bloggers that it's fashionable to do a year-end blog rewind, thus noting their top 5 most popular posts of the year. Well, being that I've really only been blogging faithfully since September 2006, I'll only note the one post that stole the most conversation in my first months in the blogosphere.

(Experimentally-Rocked-Drum-Roll, Please)

My #1 Most Popular Post of 2006:
Help Wanted - A simple poll asking you, the people, to help me pick a part-time job. 46% of you voted that I work as a Starbucks Barista. And then all hell broke loose. Which then brought on the following post: Would Jesus Drink at Starbucks?

I must say, if I weren't already knee-deep in reading for two fresh new Fuller classes, I'd probably grab this interesting new book by the pomo legend, Leonard Sweet. But for now, I'm sticking with Decaf Joe and The Shaping of Things to Come.

I've Been Tagged By Pastor Phil!

There is a nasty game of "tag" going on through the blogosphere. I didn't get to the "safe" zone near the swings fast enough and I've been made "it." (I never was the fast one.) Pastor Phil in Salem has threatened me (with every known spiritual law) that I must post 5 things you may not know about me. Here goes.

1. Of all the fictional characters in the world, I most want to be Amelie. Because she is a mysterious do-gooder, a quirky little thing, and she has a rad haircut. If you haven't seen it, grab some brie and creme brulee, and rent it immediately. I wish you to imagine the following four things in the manner of the opening sequence. Merci.

2. Jenelle likes: Referring to herself on occasion in the third person. It makes her feel like she's narrating the movie of her life. And then she imagines what song would fit perfectly on the soundtrack.

3. Jenelle dislikes: When words are published (in paper, not blogs) with incorrect spelling or terrible grammar. It makes her crazy. (Especially because she's noticed it in 1/5 of all the Christian-published stuff she's ever read. She thinks Jesus smacks his forehead when he sees it.) She neurotically re-posts her blog-stuff on average three point two times, each time adjusting a clause, word, or thought. Her friend Jane once lamented, "Oh Nelly! What will you DO if you fall in love with a boy who can't spell?"

4. Jenelle likes: The smell of the freshly cut grass on a golf course very early in the morning. She likes to hit long tee-shots and outdrive the boys she's playing with. It doesn't matter to her that she's a naff-putter and rarely outscores them.

5. Jenelle dislikes: How often she sets herself up to be the "you're such a good listener" in conversations. Because one reason she listens so well is that she's insecure others aren't really interested in what she has to say.

And now! I am tagging Lisa (California-Africa), Barbara (Portugal/Global), Stew (Austin), and Rachel (Nashville). And I threaten them with the glare of this scary Santa.

Image from Wikepedia.

Euro-centric Travelista

Brian, Carla, and Phil's blogs each have lured me into doing this World 66 where-I've-been-map. (B, C, and P are all 24-7 prayer folk in Europe. When I grow up I want to be like them.) It seems that I need to visit a continent other than Europe. But, I agree with Phil, I think national boundaries are a bit blurred. In these days of the globalization of everything, what are borders anyway?

What I'd do if I had the moo:
1. Spend a long time with the Borden's and Russell's in Tanzania.
2. Ride a motorcycle around South America like Che Guevara did.
3. Make an obligatory trip to Canada via Toronto to see if the Spirit is still a flowin' there like wild.
4. Wander around Tunisia. Cause I've had crazy dreams about her.
5. Spend a lot more time in the quiet islands of Greece. Santorini, for one.
6. Hang out with Alan and Deb Hirsch's incredible community in Melbourne. (See also: The Shaping of Things to Come.)
7. Buy that old apartment in Sao Joao do Estoril Portugal as my vacation home.

Technorati Tags: travel

Post-its on the Side

So, I've added some interactive-ness at the end of the sidebar.

>>>Uno. Pacman. Because it was my favorite game in 1984. (You play it with your computer's arrow keys. There weren't mice around when Pacman started.)
>>>Due. Joel News Headlines (aka. Global-News-Your- Newspaper-Missed") Because God is doin' good stuff 'round the globe, and you're probably missin' it, bub.

Net Neutrality Nuked by The Man?

It seems inevitable. The Man's gonna nuke the neutrality of the net! (Clearly, The Man reads Time magazine and wants to make a buck.) Consider this: the internet could be one of the only "spaces" in the global economy that is an equal-playing-ground for every Voice. (And when I was a skeptical little high schooler, I said the internet was of the devil. Ha.) This flick is a cute call to action. Just under four minutes for your office coffee break. And here's a link to get the "stop it!" message quickly to your legislators: Save the Net

Confessions in Salem

This is a remarkably beautiful story from Pastor Phil in Salem, Mass. Especially if you've read Miller's Blue Like Jazz. Here's a quick excerpt from the post, One Big Sorry Church: It was no new idea...James was the one with the idea of trying it in Salem over the weeks of Halloween events, and I thought it would work well, but we had no idea how well. James bought a few monks robes. We had the tents and tables...We made signs, "Free Confessional Booth."

YOU are Time's Person o' 2006

(If I had a mirror in jpeg form, I'd insert it above.)

This just in. If you're reading this, you deserve some sort of cheesy, shiny trophy. Or just take the accolade that you got the same award that Bill Gates, Bono, and "the American soldier" have toted in years past. (Or, be offended because Adolf Hitler also received the award in the '30s.) Thanks for the headline, BBC:

"You" have been named as Time magazine's Person of the Year for the growth and influence of user-generated content on the internet.

"Hello," said Me.

hello. this is me. and this is my new blog.

keep the coffee hot.

enjoy.